Dinosaurs and more!

Our small group at Celebration church was not so small tonight!

Scripts & Strokes has grown through the years, and I still love teaching the scripture paintings.

13 years and counting!

I have several that have come year after year as well.

Tonight, we had four guests as well as the regulars.

It's always fun to see people painting and enjoying the group.

Everyone had a great time tonight!

Good lesson, even better fellowship and community.

The younger ones were so well behaved too!

This morning found us loading up the dinosaurs and taking them to the Spanish Fort Library.

The Library is still very excited to have them and I am so happy they are not in a land fill!

The stares we got while going down the road were comical.

The wind was bad though, the dinosaurs kept moving and we had stop to tie 

them down several times while driving.

We also brought a van load of greenery to put around them next summer.

Sarah and I will be busy repairing them, and touching up paint.

Next summer will be epic for them!

Another day, another painting, another adventure!

8 days until set up at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf shores,Alabama

Such is life here in Fairhope

Dinosaurs and more, Acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14 inches

Day 92 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

King of his domain II

 Another great day in the studio. Another day closer to the Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. This guy was fun to paint after a day with my daughter working on her Queens ensemble.

My daughter Jessica will be Queen of the Phoenix organization early next year. There is an incredible amount of crazy work to do in the meantime. I was a professional seamstress for years until a drunk driver changed the landscape of my body. I have two herniated discs in my neck, and nerve damage in my right arm. I am herniated on the right side but have found relief with a wonderful product called "Huggterra". This device is an incredible invention that vibrates, has heat, pressure points, and electric stim therapy. 15 minutes a day, and I am loosening up more and more. The Huggterra and Chiropractic care are helping a great deal. There are still days though.... Some days are diamonds and some days are dirt. 

Anyway, back to my personal Queen. She has designed her dress with help from another designer, and I am doing the main build of the dress, skirt, and train. To say it's complicated is an understatement, but that is typical of my daughter. She has the most spectacular ideas and expects me to execute them. I pray a lot, and the Holy Spirit answers a lot, allowing me to do things I never imagined. It's a lot of engineering, sewing, hand work, and prayer on my part. This design will be spectacular on a lot of levels. 

I am so grateful for the many talents God has given me. He allows me to do things I never dreamed of when I was younger. I've also been asked to do another mural at a condo in Fort Morgan. That's already on my schedule for January of next year along with getting ready for shows in the springtime. 

Painting, camping, showing, spending time with my best friend Chris! This is our artists life here in Fairhope, Alabama!

King of his domain II, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                          Day 91 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

King of his domain

It is so good to see the pelicans make a comeback. I know they can get annoying with the messes they make, but they are so beautiful in flight. They were at the edge of extinction as a result of the use of DDT. This pesticide made their eggshells so fragile that when they went to sit on the nest, they crushed the eggs. This species has truly made a roaring comeback. They are found along the West coast, but they are more yellow in their head area. They range from Oregon to below Mexico into South America. Their range is also Southern covering the Gulf Coast down into South America, Cuba, and the Bahamas. They also go up the Eastern seaboard as well. Most of the time, our pelicans stay locally for the most part. Some of them fly South for the winter. On the Pacific side, they leave the Gulf of California after breeding.

They eat small fish for the most part including menhaden, herring, anchovies, mullet and sailfish mollies. They fly and dive from up to 65 feet high. They tuck and twist to the left to protect its esophagus and trachea from the impact. Their throat pouch expands, trapping the fish with up to 2.6 gallons of water. They are typically found within 12 miles of shore. They can also feed from the surface of the water if it is too shallow and muddy to plunge. They will also steal from other birds and scavenge dead animals. 

Pelicans are awkward on the ground but are strong swimmers and powerful fliers. They are susceptible to oil spills as they nest near shipping channels. They are also still hunted and eggs are eaten on Latin American and Caribbean coasts. They are also endangered by fishing lines and lures. There are an estimated 700 birds that die from this alone. The birds themselves weigh about 8 pounds. Their wingspan is about 7 feet. They have no teeth either, their stomach does all the work digesting their fishy catch. They have two stomach chambers, the first secretes acid that softens bones and scales. The food then moves to the gizzard which further grinds the food into smaller pieces.

Now you may know more about Brown pelicans than you want to know. These guys are such a comical goofy bird on land, but there's no denying the grace with which they fly just above the water.

Kind of his domain, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                          Day 90 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Not so giant clamshell

Not so giant Clamshell.

Today was interesting as I was starting this painting this morning. First off, I awakened at 4:30 and was unable to go back to sleep. Not to be daunted, I got up and found the coffee done and Chris sipping his with a dog in his lap. I got myself a cup, then settled into reading my bible and journaling. Speaking of journaling, I had to add pages to my journal because for some reason my entries seem to be taking a whole page. I had deliberately bought a larger journal while in India thinking I could put two entries per page side. Didn't happen that way as my entries have been longer and I think richer as I dive deeply into research and writing. So, there are 95 days left in this year. I had to cut and fold enough pages to cover at least 96 days. So now I'm good to go until the end of the year. I just need to sew them into the book. I posted my journal, then Chris came home, and we went to breakfast before coming home and going to our respective studios. Chris then decided to go to the gym after we walked the dogs.

I then hopped into the studio to get some work done. First, I hemmed a pair of pants into shorts for Chris, the took them downstairs. I finally sat down to paint. I was concentrating so hard that Chris scared me by walking in after going to the gym. I get so focused on my painting; I don't hear him coming up. We then decided I needed a break and had lunch here at the house. We then decided to try and go to Fabrics by the pound only to find out they closed a year ago. I then wanted to try Rich Tex fabrics, but online they did not have any crinoline or gold lace. So, we headed to habitat for humanity re-store. Chris wanted Kayak paddles they had for $10. Turns out they were on sale for $8. They retail for $27. So a pretty good bargain. I also found pretty star lights for Jessica and Jordans table at the ball. They were a good price, so I bought 12 boxes. We are starting to amass a lot of stuff for the Mardi Gras ball next year. We then went to camping world to get chocks for the trailer. We had wooden ones, but Chris decided he needed the heavy plastic ones. We then drove home.

Once home, I greeted my sister in love, who was in the pool enjoying laughter with the puppies playing in squirting water. The puppies are crazy for water, to the point it's almost impossible to water the plants without them going ballistic. They jump in the air, biting the water from the hose. Tootsie in particular can jump at least 3 feet into the air chasing water and yet cannot jump on the couch or join me on the bench while I am reading the Bible. I have to help her up every time. I headed back to my studio and finished the painting before taking the dogs on their evening sojourn. Chris also helped tremendously by mopping the floor downstairs.

Anyway, this is another of my parent's shell collection from the Philippines. This one is a smaller giant clam, with a lot of the fluting still intact. I am amazed at how beautiful these shells are when brought up from the depths and not rolled around in the surf. I may have to dig out some more shells from the box as I am really enjoying this series immensely. Still in the box are a lot of Cone shells, of varying sizes, shapes, and degrees of death dealing. They are poisonous when alive and my father had a particular affection for them. For years these shells were a big part of family life, requiring lots of dusting and getting in trouble if we dropped one and broke it. Dad also had identified a lot of them, and they had tiny labels scotch taped inside the edge of the shell. Memories my brothers don't have because they were born later, which is why I took them from my parents' house. 

Another day, another painting done! 11 days until set up at the Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Not so giant clamshell, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                                                              Day 89 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Not what I expected!

 Today was not what I expected. I was planning to paint more shells, but time was getting away from me, so I switched to the pelican for today. This guy was a pleasure to paint after the intensity of the shells the past two days. I love painting the detail of the shells, but they put such tension into my neck. Small details do that of course, but sometimes the little details are what counts big!

I've always loved painting pelicans. They are becoming quite the nuisance bird though, leaving their bird splatter everywhere. They can also be rather aggressive when seeking food from the fishermen on the dock. Don't even think you can toss a piece of a fish, it must be the whole thing, or they will spit it out. Where they congregate, they make a mess. Just look at the pilings they sit on. They are a beautiful bird though, especially in flight.

I went with Chris to Foley today to see the new thrift store that opened. I love that Chris enjoys thrifting, and he especially loves the books. I perused the clothing, not finding anything I really had to have. This store is new and particularly crowded, so we decided on going to lunch instead of shopping. I went to Hobby Lobby to get double sided blanket binding for my octopus themed pants. 

We came home and I went to the studio. I managed to add the border to my octopus print pants, put Velcro on the curtains, and hem a pair of shorts for Chris. I also finished the painting for today. It was then I realized I had forgotten to get something else I needed from Hobby Lobby. We had a dinner get together at 6:30 so we left early for me to go back to the store to get paper rolls to lay out the queen's train for Mardi Gras. I ended up buying three rolls because they were reasonable and I don't want to have to try and get more later. I will tape it all together to get a sense of the scale of the elements of the train and sketch it all out. 10 feet wide and 15 feet long is going to be one rather large piece of paper!

We finished dinner and here we are back home after driving through a heavy rainstorm in Daphne. It was not even raining in Fairhope when we arrived home. Unloaded the car and here I am posting for today.

A busy, not so busy day. Another day closer to the Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Twelve more days until set up. I'm in full blown show mode now! Making lists, checking them off and starting to pack clothes, items for the camper, artworks, and equipment. This will be my 16th year of the festival!

Not what I expected, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24inches                                                                                   Day 88 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Imperial Volute

 Imperial Volute

Another of my shells which hails from the Philippines. It is one of my favorites in the collection of shells from the time we were in the country. Again, the points are wonderfully preserved, and the color is fantastic. These shells are part of the Mollusk family, and its scientific name is Cymbiola Imperialis. To me, it's just a beautiful work of art. As you can see from the top of the shell, it is a lovely example of the Golden spiral.

These shells are native to the waters in between Malaysia and the Philippines in the Sulu Sea. They can be found in shallow waters just below the low tide zone all the way down to 80 meters. They prefer a sandy bottom. They feed on other Mollusks and invertebrate animals. They can grow large, all the way up to 9 inches. The one I have is 6 inches. In the wild they are covered by a thin layer of brownish periostracum. So, if you don't know what you are looking for, you may not see it!

This painting was fun to paint and a lot easier than I thought it would be! I was thinking I might have to do another piece instead of this one because of the degree of difficulty. 

I also painted white all the canvas Chris stretched yesterday this morning. We then went to lunch and bought lumber for a project Chris is working on to take to India. Christina keeps asking for various things to be brought to her because she misses home and wants items made by her parents. I get it, but it may mean another piece of luggage!

I also managed to alter the Octopus pants I bought at Goodwill. They were originally like sweatpants, but I opened up the legs and inserted a large black triangle flare on both sides of the leg. There are really cool looking now, albeit a little short. I may add a black band at the bottom to complete the look. I also found a terrific top to go with them, so my first outfit for the National Shrimp Festival is complete.

I've also got a couple of other projects at my sewing machine that must get done soon. Velcro added to the bottom of the new black curtains that cover my poles and weights. It keeps the curtains from flapping in the breeze, makes a clean line, and adds to the professional look of the booth. My goal is even more of a gallery look with the new black walls and white background artworks. The new octopus pants outfit will match the booth for sure! I've also got two pair of pants Chris wants made into shorts. He's lost weight and is having to use some of the pants that have been stored for a while. So, the new lifestyle is working but he cheats a lot!

Imperial Volute, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches                                                                                         Day 87 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Venus Comb

 Venus Comb Murex

To say my parents were avid shell collectors is putting it mildly. I have vivid memories of them coming home from dives while we were living in the Philippines. Invariably, they brought home either shells or something for our fish tank. The process was always the same, they would come home and place the shells in the ant bed. The ants were fed handsomely, and in two weeks we had shells that were incredibly clean and beautiful. It was like Christmas, carefully removing the shells from the ant bed and finding the treasures held within.

If you've never seen a shell brought up from the depths of the sea, you'll be in for a shock. The shells caught live are beautiful with incredibly sharp spines. The clams are even sharper as their flutes are intact. Razor coral is sharp enough to cut you, even after drying out and even years later. The shells we see on the beach have been rolled in the surf and softened by the sea. I got my parents shell collection after they both passed away. They have brought back incredible memories of living in the Philippines and snorkeling for hours on end while my parents dove below. 

The Venus comb murex is known by its scientific name Murex pecten. They are large predatory snails that eat other mollusks. They grow 4-6 inches in length. The one I have is about 5 inches. It is the one I photographed and painted here. The spines are though to protect the shell from predators while they are hunting. The shell shape is considered to be elongated with a pronounced siphonal canal. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region and can be found from coral reefs to sandy bottoms. They occupy water depths between 0-1115 feet! They like tropical waters as the warm stable temperatures aid in their survival. Bottom dwelling using camouflage to hide among the rocks and corals.

It does face threats from overharvesting and habitat loss. My parents got theirs in the 60's. They were considered to represent wealth and status. They may serve as trade items or gifts. They are used in crafting sometimes, but the delicate spines break easily. 

I pray you've had a great day. Today was much better for me in the studio. I was able to paint and cut canvas for Chris to stretch on the bars he made for me. I am one happy artist! I painted this evening while dinner was cooking, and Chris stretched the frames and then we had dinner, cleaned up and got ice cream. I then headed up to the studio to finish this painting depicted here.

Venus Comb Murex, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24inches                                                                                   Day 86 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Send in the clowns!

Tonight, our small group met, and boy did we have fun!

We all painted the clown fish you see here.

They all looked pretty great too!

This was after a long day.

Not all of my day was in the studio, however.

The studio time in the morning was taken up by putting wires on all the paintings varnished yesterday.

I then sketched off nine paintings for tonight's class.

If you don't know, while I am working, I keep my phone on silent for the most part.

So, while I was drawing in the bathroom for tonight's class, 

my sister in love was trying desperately to get in touch with me.

Turns out, she got a call from the doctor's office about her test last night.

They wanted her to go to the emergency room immediately.

They saw a possible brain bleed.

When she couldn't get me, she called her sister in Mobile who called Chris.

All this while I was quietly transferring the drawings to canvas.

I came out to seven missed calls in the space of 20 minutes.

Chris picked her up and took her to the emergency room.

Then, Chris called me to tell me what was going on.

I was preparing to go to the ER when our son called and wanted lunch.

I went with him to lunch and picked up something for Chris to eat.

We exchanged food in the hallway, and Chris went home to eat and hang out with dogs.

I spent the next few hours trying to calm my sister in love and asking questions.

We pretty much were left alone and without a whole lot happening.

Once it was all said and done, the ER physician said he didn't see a brain bleed.

Neither did the Neurologist.

This is the second time this has happened but it's in a different area now.

I'm glad she's okay and at home resting.

That was my scare for the day!

Tonight's class was so much fun.

All of the ladies had really neat looking fish by the time we were done.

We also spent two hours that just flew by!

Psalm 104:25 "Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small."

The clownfish is unique in that they can hang out with the anemone and not get stung.

Gods covering is like that, covering us with his presence and protection keeping us from harm.

Bring in the clowns, Acrylic on canvas, 11 x 14

Day 85 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

Happy artists, happy art!

Well, this happened!

Well, this happened!

So many things happened this weekend.

I got several paintings set up to paint but never touched a brush!

My family had a boat when I was a teenager that my dad bought in Ohio.

He bought a trailer and a deep V hull boat for $25.00 in the fall of 1972.

We spent the winter scraping down the hull, repairing fiberglass as it had run aground.

Dad was able to repair the fiberglass, and we began on other parts of the boat.

When we lifted the bilgeboards, we found both a quarter and a penny.

So, her name was Quarter Penny.

Dad completely rebuilt the gunnels, dashboard, front deck and transom from Mahogany.

I remember parts and pieces of this boat all over the dining area of our base housing.

The varnish smell was overpowering for a while.

I even spent a weekend under the hull while it was up on sawhorses with my dad painting the inside

while the snow was falling on the hull.

He got the boat together, and frankly I don't remember it ever becoming

 water bound while we lived in Ohio.

I do vividly remember using the boat to carry all the camping equipment 

while traveling across country to California and our new base assignment in Riverside.

I spent my 13th birthday on the road camping in two tents.

One of which was a cottage tent that dad bought at an army surplus store.

We painted dog prints all over it, in an effort to close the holes in the canvas.

That thing was massive and heavy.

It was my responsibility to get it on the ground cloth, stake it, and get poles started on the sides.

I needed help with the ridge pole as the tent was probably 8 ft at the center.

My brothers and I stayed in the cottage tent. 

My parents had a separate small tent.

Anyway, we used the boat to carry all the equipment, stoves, lanterns, fuel, food, 

and toys for my brothers.

We even stayed at a Jellystone Park, I remember the beautiful blue of the

 Colorado river raging just outside our campsite.

The wind was so fierce that the guy lines to the poles of our tent hummed all night.

So, when got to California, we almost immediately started school.

This was 1973 and we lived in Sunnymead, just outside Riverside and near March AFB.

Within a short time, it was Halloween and my hand got shut in a door in the band room.

Nothing broken on me, just a split on the skin under my middle finger.

Needless to say, it made life interesting trying to play a flute.

I also was splitting wood for our fireplace the next month and 

caught the hatchet with my index finger on the same hand.

I was not happy with California.

But summer was coming!

The water project that stopped at a new man-made lake was finished in 1974.

Lake Perris was perfect to learn to water ski on because there was this 

wonderful area when you fell off, you could stand up.

I learned to ski on doubles but could never master the slalom ski.

I loved that summer!

Many happy hours spent on the lake and on Allesandro Island 

because we had a boat to get to the island.

My dad also got a 26 ft sailboat he called Quarter Penny two.

He drove that boat from California to Alabama.

Unfortunately, "my" boat had to be sold because dad couldn't haul two of them.

If I had known it was because mom didn't want to drive a boat across country, I would've begged to learn how to drive as I was 15 at the time.

So, I still miss the boat.

Chris has been looking for one for years.

He didn't really understand the deep V hull boat until I found a photo of one.

I don't have any idea what kind of boat Quarter Penny was, but the Larsen was pretty close.

Sunday found us driving to Destin Florida after church to look at a Larsen deep V hull boat.....

No painting that day because the trip to Destin and back was nearly 5 hours.

We looked at the boat that needed new stringers in the bottom, new bilge boards, 

and probably a transom.

The hull was exactly as I remembered, because my brothers could stand up in the boat and not fall out.

That's how deep this boat was in my childhood.

The gel coat was scraped in a couple of spots, but otherwise the paint was still shiny.

It had the original seats that would lay flat, so you cold sunbathe.

It was a little bigger than we were hoping for, and Chris was concerned about the wood rot.

He didn't know if he wanted to take on the project.

So, we came home without the boat.

He's still looking for a deep V hull boat.

I made him promise he'll take me to look when he finds one.

Today, I didn't paint either.

I cleaned in the studio, preparing for my daughter to come over as we were 

working on her Mardi Gras Queen outfit and train design.

We finally got on the same page with the design after much discussion.

She has something in her mind, and like me she sometimes 

cannot get what is in her head out onto paper.

We managed to design the under train that goes on the back of the dress.

All this without butting heads!

We also ordered Crinoline to stiffen everything.

It's going to be a spectacular project.

I drafted the pattern, then cut it out from scrap fabric to see if it was what she wanted.

We had much success and will get together Friday for another session.

After my daughter left, it was time to take dogs on their ride.

I then took my sister in love to a doctor appointment.

Came home, ate, and headed to the studio.

I reset the studio back to me after working with my daughter, 

folding all her stuff and placing it all in one spot.

I then rolled out my drop cloths and varnished 16 pieces that I erased this morning.

So here I am after a long day.

Not offering excuses for non-completed paintings.

Just letting you know a little about the world of an artist here in Fairhope, Alabama.

Well, this happened!, Varnishing day, multiple sizes

Days 83 & 84 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Dynamic Dolphins

Incredibly beautiful.

Incredibly smart.

Incredible parents.

A dolphin pod acts as a village, helping to raise the young.

Dolphin moms provide protection.

They also teach their babies to have strong survival skills.

Moms will guide their babies in swimming and breathing.

They also teach them social behaviors.

There are typically "aunties" who help with the rearing.

The moms also foster play and creativity.

There is a wonderful Disney program on right now that shows a lot about Dolphin rearing and behaviors.

It is called dolphin reef and is an incredible insight into the world of dolphins.

I really enjoyed watching it.

I also learned a lot about dolphins.

Anyway, these guys were fun to paint!

I really enjoy the movement and playfulness.

I was fortunate enough to photograph dolphins while on a dolphin cruise.

They were having such fun leaping and jumping through the wakes of the boats.

They also had the prettiest pink on their bellies.

This is because they were so happy in the sea and playing with the boat.

A very happy memory for me too!

Dynamic Dolphins, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24

Day 82 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Crustacean Celebration

I have yet to see a jubilee in person.

There are numerous photos and people that have seen one.

Jubilees happen in two places in the world.

Here in Mobile Bay and Tokyo, Japan.

Pretty cool huh!

We seem to have more here because of the shallowness of our bay.

Mobile bay is one of the largest in the United States.

It is 31 miles long 24-mile-wide estuary in Alabama.

Our bay is also known for the Battle of Mobile Bay during the civil war.

Several rivers feed into the bay, hence the name five rivers delta.

We are a major port for the United States.

We also were known for Naval Stores and tap and pitch production during the early part of our history.

I am having a bit of a jubilee here in the studio.

Large amounts of paintings that need to be varnished, wired, and packed for shows starting in about three weeks.

Crustaceans are defined by their exoskeleton, segmented bodies, jointed legs, and two antennae.

They must shed and regrow in a process called molting.

This is how we have soft shelled crabs.

As an invertebrate, they lack a backbone and a spinal column.

They belong to the Phylum of Arthropoda, this includes insects, arachnids (spiders), 

and myriapods (millipedes, and centipedes).

If you want to look a spider in the face, look at a crab!

Crustacean Celebration, acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24

Day 81 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Spotted visitor

Whale sharks are my new fun creature to paint!

This one is on a hand built long canvas that is 6 x24 inches.

The elongated canvas came about after I saw another artist with these really lovely abstract watercolor pieces that were elongated but matted to make them have more of a presentation.

I started out having Chris make them 4 x 24 but they were just too narrow to do anything with.

So, we started making them 6 x 24.

They are the perfect size for between windows or above doors.

People seem to love them, sometimes buying two for either side of a door or window.

I enjoy painting them too!

I was checking my pages on Facebook to see how things were.

I discovered much to my dismay that there was a fake event using my profile picture 

and a photo of my paintings for the Fairhope Arts and Crafts for next year!

There were several people using it to advertise "booths still available", 

contact me (which was various people)!

My name, paintings, and likeness being used for a scam!

I reported every single one of these people.

I also deleted the "event" invitation.

I'll probably contact the show too!

Or at least one of the members that puts it on for our fair city.

Another day, another painting, another scam, one day closer to the Annual National Shrimp Festival 

in beautiful Gulf Shores, Alabama.

I'm done for tonight!

Spotted visitor, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24

Day 80 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

I'm seeing spots!

I'm seeing spots!

You can see why too!

These guys were incredibly hard to finish in one day.

My typical shadowbox canvas, but not my typical sea creature.

They are incredibly beautiful and gentle giants.

And yes, they are in the Gulf of Mexico!

I would love to see one in person for sure.

This photo is from NOAA Fisheries and shows the amazing tracks these wonderful creatures take.

While you may not see one near Mobile Bay, it is possible to see them in the Gulf of Mexico.

Now, for some fun facts.

They are not actually whales but the world's largest fish species.

They can reach up to 46 feet and they can weigh 12 tons!

Thats the size of a school bus folks!

They are filter feeders, scooping up plankton, krill, fish eggs, and small fish.

They have more than 3,000 teeth, but they are not to eat with.

They can grow to be very old possibly to 100 years in age.

The oldest documented whale shark is 75 years old.

They swim slowly but can still travel long distances during migration.

They give birth to live young after an estimated pregnancy of 12 to 18 months.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers them endangered.

They can live in captivity and there are four of them at the Georgia Aquarium.

They are also a member of the Orectolobiformes also called carpet sharks.

I'm done for today!

I'm seeing spots! Acrylic on shadowbox canvas, 24 x 24 inches

Day 79 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

This is all I've got tonight!

This is all I've got tonight!

It truly is.....

I taught my first night of my small group tonight called Scripts and Strokes.

We do paintings based on Scriptures.

I had another painting planned for tonight.

I cannot pre-sketch canvases because I never know how many will show up to the class.

The morning of the class, I text everyone and ask who's coming tonight?

The answers basically come in all day.

Yes, no, maybe.

Anyway, I had planned on another painting and God said no.

I want this tonight.

It is a painting I designed several years ago while on a cruise with ladies from the church.

So, I got started with the first one and realized that it was way too wordy.

I love the verse, but it was going to take at least 4 hours to transfer the design to canvases.

I redesigned the lettering to read: Standing Firm after the battle in God's armor.

Based on Ephesians 6:13

The transfer went much better but still took the better part of the day.

So, this is all I painted today.

I've realized I need new paint pens for people to use in the class.

I'll buy them this week for sure!

Tomorrow is another day.

But for now, I bid you goodnight as I have brushes to wash!

This is all I've got tonight! Acrylic on canvas, 11x14

Day 78 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Extensions

"Extensions"

Just when you think you can't do any more.

Life gives you an extension.

We can always stretch more than we think we can.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

I'm grateful for extra time to spend with family and Chris especially.

We had a lovely lunch with my sister in love who is also our dog watcher.

She stayed at the house to play with the puppies.

Chris drove me down to Gulf Shores to take the mesh walls to the Coastal Chamber.

I was happy to have the company.

The woman who greeted us recognized me as one of the poster winners 

which was a very pleasant surprise!

After we delivered the sides, he drove me to the imaging center for a 

mammogram appointment in Foley.

My insurance was not accepted at the last place I went to an appointment.

So, I had to wait another month.

My insurance is also not accepted at Thomas hospital.

I could walk to the appointment if it was at Thomas hospital.

So frustrating, dealing with insurance.

But at least the mammogram is done!

Don't forget to get yours if you haven't in October, as it's breast cancer awareness month.

This fellow was fun to paint!

That is, after I figured out the legs.

There is such movement in the painting.

The last time I painted one this way though, a woman insisted on hanging it vertically.

I said the signature will be odd, but okay!

Another painting down.

Another day closer to set up day down in Gulf Shores, Alabama

Just wait until you see tomorrow's painting!

I just can't decide if I want a 24 x 24 or a 6 x 24

Extensions, Acrylic on canvas, 6 x 24 inches

Day 77 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025

 

Stretching to the limits

Another day, another painting!

"Stretching to the limits"

Loggerhead turtles are such beautiful creatures.

Awkward on the earth, so graceful in the sea.

The turtle nesting season here is over.

The nests should be hatched by October.

We were at a Shrimp Festival one year in October and heard about a hatching going on.

Most of the time, they hatch at night, on a full moon so the babies can see the water and 

hopefully head in the right direction.

Sometimes the Shrimp Festival is so hot.

One year the heat index was 122 degrees.

It was hard to be chipper and fresh in that kind of heat.

Other times, it's been a bit on the chilly side.

The wind is definitely a factor as well.

Weights are a requirement weighing at least 40 pounds.

One for each leg.

That means we have to carry 8 weights to the show.

My van will be filled to the top with art and equipment.

Pretty soon, we'll start laying out the parts and pieces necessary to put on a show.

I will be making a list, because otherwise I will forget something.

It gets checked off only when it is loaded into the van.

If I don't make a list, I won't be able to sleep because I keep mulling it over in my mind.

It becomes a loop of doom, because I'm worried about forgetting something.

On the dachshund side, Trixie is eager to eat now.

The other dachshunds are jealous of the tasty food she is receiving.

We have to watch, because the puppies especially will steal her food.

She's a momma dog, so she will walk away if challenged for food.

Feeding her has been an issue for a while now.

I thought it was her teeth, but it may have been the beginnings of kidney disease.

Hopefully she's on the mend now.

Praying everyone has a better week this week.

Last week was so heavy and sad.

I'm looking forward to the new week that began today with church.

Chris and I then went to lunch, and I said I wanted to go to the thrift store.

I'm looking specifically for Fanka brand leggings because they offer compression.

Hopefully I'll find some one day.

Anyway, I did find a new pair of Yoga pants.

AND

The most amazing pair of Octopus leggings in black and white!

I also found a high-end White/Black brand vest in a lovely black color.

The octopus leggings look great with the vest.

Chris approved, so I bought them all.

My thrifting heart is so happy!

Stretching to the limits, Acrylic on canvas

Day 76 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2025